Author: starpathwp-production
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ISS finishes initial iROSA upgrade with two EVAs this month
The International Space Station’s iROSA (ISS Roll-Out Solar Array) solar panel upgrade, started in 2021, has finished its initial upgrade plan with the successful installation of the last two arrays this month. The arrays for the 1A and 1B power channels were brought to ISS aboard the CRS-28 Cargo Dragon flight and then installed in…
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Scientists find essential element for life in an ocean of Saturn’s moon Enceladus
Scientists have long been fascinated with Saturn’s sixth-largest moon for its icy surface and mysterious hidden ocean that lies beneath. Enceladus has long been a subject of discussion as a potential home for extraterrestrial life. The recent detection of phosphorus, an essential chemical element for life, is giving these conversations a whole new meaning. Utilizing…
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Former Spaceflight CEO Curt Blake joins law firm to focus on new space ventures
Curt Blake, former CEO of Spaceflight Inc., is joining Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati as the law firm launches a NewSpace industry group. (GeekWire File Photo / Alan Boyle) Spaceflight Inc.’s former CEO, Curt Blake, is joining the Seattle office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati at a time when the California-based law firm is…
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Intelsat Starts In-Orbit Testing of NASA’s Air Pollution Monitor
Intelsat, operator of one of the world’s largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks and leading provider of inflight connectivity (IFC), successfully powered up the first space-based instrument to monitor major air pollutants across North America and send data back to Earth as part of the first phase of in-orbit testing. The new UV-visible spectrometer, operated…
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Reflex Aerospace Signs Media Broadcast Satellite as First Commercial Customer
Reflex Aerospace signed Media Broadcast Satellite (MBS) as its first commercial customer, and will fly a payload for MBS on its first satellite. Reflex announced on Tuesday that MBS will be the customer for its SIGI mission, which will test its new satellite manufacturing technologies. Reflex Aerospace has booked a slot on a fall 2024…
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Reflex Aerospace Signs Media Broadcast Satellite as First Commercial Customer
Reflex Aerospace signed Media Broadcast Satellite (MBS) as its first commercial customer, and will fly a payload for MBS on its first satellite. Reflex announced on Tuesday that MBS will be the customer for its SIGI mission, which will test its new satellite manufacturing technologies. Reflex Aerospace has booked a slot on a fall 2024…
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Orbex and Arianespace Sign an MoU to Explore Launch Partnership for Small Satellite Customers
Arianespace, the European launch services provider, and Orbex, the UK-based provider of small satellite launch services, announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to study possible future cooperation to answer its customers’ requirements. The agreement aims to increase the joint capabilities and flexibility of both partners’ services. In particular, it is expected…
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Vulcan aces engine test, but upper stage anomaly will delay launch for a while
The Vulcan rocket took a critical step toward its much-anticipated debut launch last week with a successful engine-firing test. However, one critical issue remains unresolved before the large booster can lift off. This final hurdle involves modifications to the rocket’s Centaur V upper stage, which exploded during a test at the end of March. On…
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Rocket Lab Introduces New High-Performance Star Tracker for Small Spacecraft
Rocket Lab USA, one of the leading launch and space systems companies has introduced a new high-performance star tracker for small satellites and spacecraft. The ST-16RT2 star tracker is extensively flown and tested by Rocket Lab with more than 90 currently in orbit. The ST-16RT2 star tracker uses a 2592 x 1944 CMOS active-pixel sensor…
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For the first time in decades, Congress seems interested in space-based solar power
As far as legislative moments go, the passage of a minor amendment to an innocuous US House resolution on Wednesday was not exactly groundbreaking. But for space exploration enthusiasts, the amendment offered by US Rep. Kevin Mullin, D-Calif., was kind of a big deal. That’s because, for the first time since the 1970s, the idea…